The New Cupcake? Wasn’t the Old One Already Perfect?

First, they said it was the whoopie pie. Then, it was the glamorous macaron. Most recently, cake balls are the frenzy. So, which exactly is the new cupcake? Despite proclamations from blogs and publications, such as Salon and D magazine, of an heir apparent to the cupcake, in Dallas, none…

100 Favorite Dishes: Tom-Yum-Gai at Bangkok City

As a countdown to the Dallas Observer’s “Best of Dallas” 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can…

Refresh Yourself. Moscow-style.

At a party recently, I was given a taste of one of the most refreshing vodka cocktails I’ve had in a great while.Josh — who wears a Canadian tuxedo with more style than anyone else I know, but that’s not really important right now — handed me his cup and…

The Secrets of Seed-Spitting Revealed!!!

Moisten your mouth and pucker up: It’s seed-spitting season. That’s not me in the picture, but I did pay $1 for a corn kernel and a chance at spit-washed glory at the Holland Corn Festival in Central Texas this past weekend. My kernel landed a paltry 12 feet from the…

Good Things Come in Small Plates: Guess Where I’m Eating

Today’s edition of Guess Where I’m Eating is a little different from most. Usually, we titillate you with restaurant scenes, furniture and décor. This time, see if you can guess this Dallas hot-spot by looking at pictures of the food alone. These are small plates, and although you can purchase…

Oh Great, Now We Have to Worry About Tea Goggles Too?

Kombucha’s most fervent fans have long credited the fermented tea with making their joints more limber, their energy stronger and their eyesight sharper. Now Whole Foods is wondering if the beverage is also making them drunk. The Austin-based chain last week pulled all kombuchas from its shelves, citing concerns about…

Rock ‘n’ Taco Can’t Quite Hit the Power Chords

What do tacos, LED light installations, and douchebags wearing graphic T-shirst all have in common? They were all present Thursday night when we visited the latest addition to the taco joint trend, Rock ‘n’ Taco. Occupying the space that was once Rocco’s Pizza, Rock ‘n’ Taco is the first restaurant…

100 Favorite Dishes: Shredded Pork Sandwich at Mojitos

As a countdown to the Dallas Observer’s “Best of Dallas” 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can…

‘Beer Guru’ Keith Schlabs On 15 Years Of Flying Saucer and More

Speaking of Shannon Wynne and the Meddlesome Moth…Fifteen years and 14 locations after the June 5, 1995, opening of the original Flying Saucer on Sundance Square in Fort Worth, the franchise’s “beer guru,” Keith Schlabs, still relishes the opportunity to evangelize about the virtues of good beer. That’s even easier at…

Something Mysterious is Cooking in Oak Cliff

North Oak Cliff residents who earlier this year set up a temporary café as an example of how a livable community might look are making their vision more permanent with a new restaurant. The team behind the project – Jason and Andrea Roberts, Eric and Amy Cowan and Eno’s founder…

Urban Pantry Now Selling its Healthy Wares 24/7, Plus Cigarettes

Urban Pantry, the upscale convenience shop that opened in North Dallas earlier this year, is now peddling its organic milk and crunchy energy bars at all hours of the day. The store on Alpha Road switched to a 24-hour schedule last week. Cashier Joe Denton reports the store’s drawing a…

The Common Table for the Common Man? Well, kind of.

Opening nights for restaurants are replete with the see-and-be-seen crowd, curious onlookers who want to be part of the first buzz about a new place, shapers of the “Was it good? Did it suck? Pan or Rave?”conversation. Opening night at The Common Table on June 2 gave these same folks…

Behemoth Burgers: Guess Where I’m Eating

Counting calories and looking for a healthy alternative to fast food? Then don’t show your face in this joint. The food at this standing-room-only spot is all artery-clogging, all the time. And God bless it. Food takes a minute to prepare, but it’s oh so worth it. And hey, while…

100 Favorite Dishes: Shaved Ice at May’s Ice Cream

As a countdown to the Dallas Observer’s “Best of Dallas” 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can…